Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez Volume II Part 14

I have, &c. &c. &c.

JAMES SAUMAREZ.

Augt. Foster, Esq. his Majesty's charge d'affaires, Stockholm.

Victory, off Ystad, 30th May 1809.

SIR,

I have the honour to acquaint you with my arrival off Ystad this afternoon, and that I have received your letter of the 23rd instant, informing me of the satisfaction expressed by the Swedish minister, M. de Lagerbjelke, at my compliance with the request of the Swedish government in affording them all the a.s.sistance in my power; and that Vice-admiral Stedinck had promised to take the necessary steps for the fleet under my command being supplied with water and necessaries, as well as pilots; and also informing me of the exertions used by the Swedish marine for the defence and security of the country.

As it may be necessary for convoys to pa.s.s through the Malmo channel, I trust you have represented the expediency of the co-operation of the Swedish gun-boats stationed there; and I request you will please to signify to the Swedish government that all the protection in my power to afford the trade of Sweden, shall be granted to them.

I am proceeding with all despatch off Carlscrona, where I hope to have the honour of hearing further from you: as I shall probably proceed from Carlscrona off Dalaro, you will permit me to have such letters or despatches as may arrive for me at Gottenburg from England to be addressed to your care. I have, &c. &c. &c.

JAMES SAUMAREZ.

Augt. Foster, Esq. his Majesty's charge d'affaires, Stockholm.

P.S. A boat, spoken with this morning (30th May) from Stettin, reports that Colonel Schill had taken possession of Stralsund.

Sir James, while off Ystad, had the honour of receiving on board Prince William of Orange, who was the bearer of news which had great effect in deciding the Swedes in their choice of the line of policy to be pursued at this critical period. This account, which is detailed in Sir James's next letter to Mr. Foster, led to a correspondence which showed the nature of his opinion as to the integrity of the Swedes.

Victory, off Ystad, 3rd June 1809.

SIR,

I have the greatest satisfaction in transmitting to you the copy of a bulletin, detailing a statement of the important victory gained by the Archduke Charles over Buonaparte on the 21st and 22nd of May. It was delivered to me by his highness Prince William of Orange, who, with two attendants, arrived on board the Victory yesterday from Colberg, on his way to England. There is every reason to hope this victory will have been followed up by other important successes, which will decide the other states in uniting with Austria to extirpate the tyrant of the human race. I am proceeding to Carlscrona, where I trust to find letters from you; and, in the present critical state of affairs with this country, I hope to be forgiven for again repeating my anxious wish to have the honour of hearing from you as frequently as possible.

Admiral Bertie, who is stationed off Helsinburg, wrote to me that he has made repeated applications through Mr. Consul Fenwick for pilots, but has not been able to procure any: as this is an object of great importance, I request you will represent it to the Swedish government. He also mentions his suspicions that a better understanding exists with the Danes, from the frequent flags of truce, and also from some prisoners having been exchanged from Denmark, which he states as a circ.u.mstance very unusual.

Sir R.G. Keats also informs me, that two s.h.i.+ps of the line and a frigate are fitting with expedition, intended, as is reported, to transfer troops to the eastward; but he adds that it was also rumoured that the ports of Sweden are expected to be shut against us even before the 14th. Although I feel the greatest confidence that there can exist no intention on the part of Sweden to deceive, we cannot be too much on our guard with that government, should they find it necessary to enter upon terms with either Russia or Denmark.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

JAMES SAUMAREZ.

Augt. Foster, Esq. his Majesty's charge d'affaires, Stockholm.

Confidential.

Stockholm, June 9th, 1809.

SIR,

I thank you for, and sincerely congratulate you on, the interesting news which you have been so obliging to send me from off Ystad. It is complete and glorious indeed, and will add to the other reasons I shall entertain for thinking that this government cannot mean to deceive us. Their situation is certainly a very delicate one; but, till now, I have no reason to complain of any insincerity on the part of the Swedes. Be a.s.sured that, if I had, I should instantly despatch notice of it to you. I do not like to venture writing general opinions by the common post, and therefore I have appeared perhaps to write to you too little at length hitherto. The post is also very tardy, or you must have received letters from me of the 23rd ultimo; one of the 30th must also be lying for you at Ystad. I shall now make a practice of writing to you by every post, as you very naturally will be glad to hear even negative news.

Admiral Bertie's suspicions are very natural for him to entertain, but I really believe entirely unfounded.

The situation of Norway (which, I will confide to you, seems more critical for Denmark than for Sweden,) will account for so many couriers pa.s.sing. The desire of peace, openly manifested by this country, accounts for their allowing such pa.s.sage, which has for some time been permitted in return for the pa.s.sage through Denmark being allowed to Swedish officers. As to a better understanding being supposed to exist with the Danes, I had occasion to inquire on this subject the day before yesterday of M. d'Engestrom, who is the new minister for foreign affairs here, and who a.s.sured me that the Danish government was even so pettish as to prevent the pa.s.sage of the Hamburgh Gazette for some time back. The Russian government has demanded the exclusion of our s.h.i.+ps from Swedish ports, and on this and other conditions have agreed to receive Baron Stedinck as negotiator: this they have informed me of, and at the same time of their intention to negotiate upon this point, and to gain further time. Delay is what they covet in appearance, and what in reality appears to be their interest to desire until the campaign in Germany is decided; for on it depends most probably the portion they will lose of territory, and the question even of their independence as regards their conduct towards us.

In the character of the Duke of Sudermania, who was created King on Thursday the 6th, I confess also that I place much confidence, more perhaps than in that of his ministers. His conduct has been loyal and frank, nor does he seem to exhibit that pliability in principles too common among this nation.

I have not time to copy the enclosure which I send you on the subject of pilots, which Vice-admiral Stedinck has just written out before me, as the post goes in an hour and a half; nor shall I perhaps have time to write to Admiral Bertie as I could wish, this being post-day for England.

Two s.h.i.+ps of the line and a frigate are arrived off Dalaro, with 2,000 some hundred troops, and 500 sailors; and twenty-four gun-boats set out the day before yesterday from here: fourteen more follow to-morrow or next day. A camp is to be formed at Upsala of 10,000 or 12,000 men; they mean to treat armed at least, which shows spirit. A Baron Taube has been sent to St. Petersburg to ask for pa.s.sports for Baron Stedinck: he went the day before yesterday, and cannot be back under fifteen days.

The Russians are now said to have only about eighty-six gun-boats at land, but 11,000 men, and to be taking measures to defend themselves against you: one of the s.h.i.+ps of the line is going back to Carlscrona; and a frigate, the Freya, I think.

The report that the Swedish harbours would be shut against us on the 14th, must be attributed to the fears of the merchants, I suppose, who are nervous in such a precarious state of things as the present.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

AUGT. FOSTER.

Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez.

Victory, off Carlscrona, 15th June 1809.

SIR,

I yesterday had the honour to receive your letter of the 9th instant, and although I was before perfectly convinced of the good disposition of the present government of Sweden towards our country, and of the sincerity of the Duke of Sudermania's intentions, I could not do otherwise than make you acquainted with the surmises of the two officers next in rank to me in the fleet. Your letter has perfectly removed any doubts that would have existed upon the subject, and I should place the same dependence in the Swedes as at the time of our alliance with them: the longer they are enabled to protract the negotiation with the Russian government, the more favourable will be the conditions of peace they are likely to obtain, as Russia will lose much of her ascendancy should Buonaparte be defeated by the arms of Austria.

The different accounts I receive from the Continent state that the French army has been very considerably reduced by the late actions, and that it is considered to be in a most critical situation. A messenger, who arrived yesterday on board the Victory, charged with despatches from Mr. Bathurst, informed me that, subsequently to the brilliant victory of the 23rd, there had been several actions, though of less importance; they had all terminated in favour of the Austrian troops. The messenger left Baden on the 4th instant; and described in the strongest terms the high spirits of the whole army, and the hopes formed that the next action would prove decisive, and annihilate the French.

I shall have great pleasure in transmitting to you any accounts I may receive of importance; and I return you my sincere thanks for the Gazette you did me the favour to enclose to me in your letter of the 6th. I beg leave to congratulate you on the splendid success that has attended the army in Portugal.

I have, &c. &c. &c.

JAS. SAUMAREZ.

Augt. Foster, Esq. charge d'affaires, &c.

Stockholm.

On the approach of the Victory off the harbour of Carlscrona, the Admiral wrote the following complimentary letter to Admiral Puke, who was then commander-in-chief and senior admiral in the Swedish service:

His Majesty's s.h.i.+p Victory, off Carlscrona, 4th June 1809.

SIR,

It is with the highest satisfaction that I have the honour to inform your excellency of my arrival off Carlscrona, being in my way up the Baltic, with part of the fleet under my command, for the defence of Sweden against the attack of the Russian fleet, and that I shall use every possible effort to preserve the good understanding that has for so many years subsisted between our respective nations.

I shall be thankful to your excellency for any information you will be pleased to honour me with that can tend to the advancement of the great and good cause in which we are engaged; and I am happy in profiting by the present opportunity to transmit an official bulletin which I received last Friday, giving an account of a most important victory over the French army, commanded by Buonaparte in person. This glorious event, it is to be hoped, will unite the powers in the northern parts of the Continent totally to extirpate the atrocious tyrant, who has been so long the scourge of the human race.

I have the honour to be, With sentiments of the highest regard and consideration, Sir, &c. &c. &c.

JAMES SAUMAREZ.

Vice-admiral Puke, &c. &c. &c.

Carlscrona.

To which Admiral Puke returned the following answer: